'Mafia-like' | BBC under fire after claims 'bullies' still working despite HR complaints

The BBC has been accused of breaking its own ‘zero tolerance’ stance on bullying, after it was revealed that dozens of staff still work for the broadcaster despite being found guilty of workplace wrongdoing.

Figures obtained by The Times via the Freedom of Information Act revealed that the BBC fully or partially upheld 33 out of 154 bullying and harassment cases over the past two years. However, only one person was sacked following one of these internal investigations, the FOI request revealed.

The Times’ investigation also found that 105 grievances were dismissed, while 16 were withdrawn and that, since 2013, there have been 508 formal cases of bullying and harassment, 32 of which involved sexual misconduct claims.

It was in 2012, following the harrowing revelations of Jimmy Saville’s actions, that the BBC’s then-director-general Lord Tony Hall vowed to create a “zero-tolerance” culture towards bullying and harassment within the corporation, where workers felt “able to raise concerns and have confidence that they will be dealt with appropriately”.